The First World Congress of the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) will be held in Florence, Italy on Sept. 5-8, 1975. The goals and objectives of the Congress are to bring together scientists, physicians, and other health professionals from various parts of the world and representing virtually every biomedical discipline to report new information and reappraise current knowledge on pain mechanisms and various therapeutic modalities currently used. The main theme is MODULATION, a very exciting and new area which has recently become prominent in basic scientific research and one which promises to provide unlimited opportunities for productive investigations and therapeutic application in the future. A total of 46 major scientific papers dealing with some aspects of modulation will be presented. In addition, there will be about 150 "free communications" on virtually every aspect of pain. About 65% of the presentations will be made by basic scientists reporting research findings and 35% by physicians and other health professionals. An important aspect of the program will be group sessions to discuss such important topics as: national and international taxonomy of pain and pain syndromes; mechanism for developing standard records and retrieval systems; and mechanisms for achieving the objectives of the IASP. It is anticipated that the Congress will also: (a) enhance cross- fertilization among various scientists and clinicians and enhance the insight of each participant into other aspects of pain research and thus encourage greater interaction and perhaps collaborative efforts; (b) define more clearly the needs and direction of future research efforts; and (c) facilitate the more rapid clinical application of new knowledge. It is planned to carry out an intensive public information program which will make the public and people in government of various countries, but especially the US, aware of the importance of pain and its control. The ultimate goal is to help improve the care of patients with acute and chronic pain which currently constitute major national and world health problems.